Cuban 'Free' light bulb cost Ja Millions?

[Magician]

Re: Cuban 'Free' light bulb cost Ja Millions?

Mi hear pon di news today seh Portia call 'emergency meeting' with the involved parties yesterday.

Probably to tell dem "Is why yuh nuh hide di money betta! [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70388-shameonyou.gif[/img]"

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Cuban 'Free' light bulb cost Ja Millions?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Magic</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Mi hear pon di news today seh Portia call 'emergency meeting' with the involved parties yesterday.

Probably to tell dem "Is why yuh nuh hide di money betta! [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70388-shameonyou.gif[/img]" </div></div>

LOL.....Kern Spencer baby madda bade aff dis!

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Cuban 'Free' light bulb cost Ja Millions?

PNP baffled by Cuban bulb programme irregularities

Thursday, 25 October 2007
The People's National Party (PNP) is reportedly attempting to make sense of what is emerging as a complex web, surrounding the controversial energy saving Cuban bulb programme.

PNP President Portia Simpson Miller called former Energy Minister Phillip Paulwell and former Junior Minister Kern Spencer to an emergency meeting Wednesday to discuss the issue.

Insiders say preliminary investigation carried out by the leadership of the PNP in the aftermath of Tuesday's statement in Parliament by Energy Minister, Clive Mullings, uncovered what appear to be irregularities in the operation of the programme.

The probe has reportedly left some party members very worried.

MPs on the Opposition benches in the House were reportedly left baffled as they had reportedly contributed thousands of dollars to distribute the bulbs.

Now the question being asked is where has all that money gone?

PNP members rushed Wednesday to find out what was happening.

Our sources say what they found was troubling at best.

One source would only say that a web of personalities is intertwined in entities associated with the knotty multi-million dollar affair.

Another said the picture is disturbing.

Yet another said the chips should fall where they may and the PNP should not seek to protect persons if they have run afoul of the law.

PNP President Portia Simpson Miller has issued a carefully worded statement on the matter.

http://www.radiojamaica.com/content/view/2403/26/

[SmoothOperator]

Re: Cuban 'Free' light bulb cost Ja Millions?

Sounds to me like somebody is about to get thrown under the bus. Paulwell, Spencer or both ? Of course if the PNP was in power they'd find a way to sweep it under the carpet, vigorously defend the actions of those involved and chastise the critics for daring to ask questions. But now of course its under investigation and possibly a police matter and all will hopefully be revealed. Somebody could be doing the perp walk a la JAG Smith some day soon.

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Cuban 'Free' light bulb cost Ja Millions?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: SmoothOperator</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Sounds to me like somebody is about to get thrown under the bus. Paulwell, Spencer or both ? Of course if the PNP was in power they'd find a way to sweep it under the carpet, vigorously defend the actions of those involved and chastise the critics for daring to ask questions. But now of course its under investigation and possibly a police matter and all will hopefully be revealed. Somebody could be doing the perp walk a la JAG Smith some day soon. </div></div>

Look like mi tailer dunga GP might get some wuk fi the new machines dem wheh im di buy before the General Elections, (lol...yes the machine contract was put out to tender).
I think dem gwine last Kern Spenda for not shredding the files and for Failwell for not paying over the funds (and shredding the files), to Kern Spenda baby madda before the General Elections.

Dem seh did is just the tip of the iceberg lettuce!

[Wardob]

Re: Cuban 'Free' light bulb cost Ja Millions?

Tuff it late.... man you killing me, a go fall aff di chair.

but seriously dont you feel sorry for mother P sometime?
Sometime I cannot help sorry for her, the big boys had their ways with her, she was so out of touch, and can you imagine if they had won? Oh boy….
Anyhow there is much more to come, Mullings need to follow up with the Good Year Factory deal, the Victoria Pier deal, and then the Minister of Agriculture should tell us about the acres of Government land bought by former PNP Minister friends, some even in their wives name

Nuff said….Mi dun talk.

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Cuban 'Free' light bulb cost Ja Millions?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Wardob</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Tuff it late.... man you killing me, a go fall aff di chair.

but seriously dont you feel sorry for mother P sometime?
Sometime I cannot help sorry for her, the big boys had their ways with her, she was so out of touch, and can you imagine if they had won? Oh boy….
Anyhow there is much more to come, Mullings need to follow up with the Good Year Factory deal, the Victoria Pier deal, and then the Minister of Agriculture should tell us about the acres of Government land bought by former PNP Minister friends, some even in their wives name

Nuff said….Mi dun talk.
</div></div>

Trust mi sometime mi cry fi har....but she did too damn wicked in the early days and mi noh think she really change.
But you are right, she drap inna den a thieves and look like dem udda just push har one side, finish tek wheh dem han can carry and sell aff the rest!

[Magician]

Re: Cuban 'Free' light bulb cost Ja Millions?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Tuff Gong</div><div class="ubbcode-body">[quote=SmoothOperator]and for Failwell for not paying over the funds (and shredding the files), to Kern Spenda baby madda before the General Elections.
</div></div>

[img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/704555_dwl.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70394-bawlout.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/704555_dwl.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70394-bawlout.gif[/img]

A wunda is wah breed a lite bulb deh inna Spanda yard? [img]/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/70402-thinking.gif[/img]

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Cuban 'Free' light bulb cost Ja Millions?

'Bulb project concerns Cuba'
published: Friday | October 26, 2007

Cuban Ambassador Gisela Garcia yesterday expressed 'concern' over the controversy surrounding the 'Jamaica-Cuban Energy-Saving Project', which is now under investigation by the Auditor General and the Contractor General.

When contacted by The Gleaner yesterday, Ms. Garcia declined to give a statement and said the embassy was still waiting on a briefing from the Ministry of Energy, Mining and Telecommunications.

"I am very concerned, but as I told you I am not doing any comment until everything is organised and settled," she said.

Meeting held

In the meantime, Leader of the Opposition Portia Simpson Miller, on Wednesday, held a meeting with the former Minister of Industry, Technology, Energy and Commerce, Phillip Paulwell, and his junior minister, Kern Spencer.

In a statement released yesterday, Mrs. Simpson Miller described the matter as "unfortunate". She has ordered the men to give her a detailed report and supporting documentation on or before November 5.

Rodney Chin, who is the director of Universal Management and Development Company Ltd. and Caribbean Communication Media Network Ltd., was still tight-lipped yesterday when asked to shed light on his companies' role in the affair.

Mr. Chin and his companies are now under the spotlight following a statement by Minister of Energy, Mining and Telecommunications Clive Mullings to Parliament on Tuesday in which he said that Universal Management and Development Company Ltd. was due over $85.6 million. The minister also said that Caribbean Communication Media Network Ltd. was paid over $3.3 million for its services. 'The services for which Universal Management and Development Company Ltd. was paid were not tendered and no evidence can be found of any contract having been awarded to this company in relation to the project," Mr. Mullings said.

Checks by The Gleaner have revealed that Universal Management and Development Company Ltd. was incorporated on July 31, 2006, while Caribbean Communi-cation Media Network Ltd. was incorporated on July 20, 2006. The distribution of the compact fluorescent lamps, gifts from the Cuban Government, started in early July 2006, as part of the distribution of the four million bulbs islandwide.

To save the country $169m

Kern Spencer, the former minister of state in the ministry, told the Senate last year that the programme would save the country $169 million. However, Mr. Mullings said that the former government of the People's National Party has accrued a bill of more than $276.5 million.

While the bulbs were provided free of cost by the Cuban Govern-ment, the Jamaican Government was required to meet the cost of clearance, storage and delivery of the bulbs as well as the transportation of the Cuban and Jamaican volunteers.

Efforts by The Gleaner to contact Mr. Spencer, who had direct responsibility for the programme, proved futile.

http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20071026/lead/lead4.html

[johnnycakes]

Re: Cuban 'Free' light bulb cost Ja Millions?

It is an interesting contrast in how the bulbs were distributed nationwide in Jamaica and Cuba.
In Cuba the Young Communist League (the Cuban equivalent of the Boy Scouts) did the door-to-door distribution of the energy saving bulbs as volunteers (free).
No cost, no corruption. This in Cuba where the cost of electricity and therefore the saving of electricity is borne by the national budget and where volunteer labor is a common thing.

The combination of free bulbs from Cuba and a corrupt, inefficient and mercenary mindset in Jamaica evidently made for a bad partnership.

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Cuban 'Free' light bulb cost Ja Millions?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: johnnycakes</div><div class="ubbcode-body">It is an interesting contrast in how the bulbs were distributed nationwide in Jamaica and Cuba.
In Cuba the Young Communist League (the Cuban equivalent of the Boy Scouts) ... </div></div>

So whom did Comrade Maximum Leader Fidel Castor send to Jamaica...the Boy Touts?

[affordableweb]

Re: Cuban 'Free' light bulb cost Ja Millions?

so it looks like Jamaica will lose over 100 million on this thanks to the politrixians. So sad, they should be hung in public for robbing the Jamaican people like that

[Tuff Gong]

Re: Cuban 'Free' light bulb cost Ja Millions?

Energy Minister submits more files on Cuban bulb programme
Friday, 26 October 2007
Energy Minister Clive Mullings says he will be turning over to the Auditor-General more troubling information regarding the Cuban Bulb Distribution Programme.

Mr. Mullings says the information was unearthed following his statement to Parliament on Tuesday during which he announced that an investigation will be carried out into the project.

However, Mr. Mullings has declined to give details as he says he does not want to prejudice the investigation now in progress.

Speaking with RJR News Thursday night the Energy Minister said instructions have been issued for all files on the project to be secured so that there is no tampering while the probe is carried out.

Mr. Mullings is promising that the probe into the activities of the project will be wide ranging.

As a result, he says it could take a while before the results are known.

Former Energy Minister Phillip Paulwell and his former Junior Minister Kern Spencer who had oversight responsibility for the bulb distribution project have been ordered to present a detailed report by Monday.

The report is to be submitted to Opposition Leader Portia Simpson-Miller.

In the meantime, the Energy Minister says he does not expect any of the Cuban officials who were involved in the bulb distribution programme to be dragged into the probe.

Mr. Mullings says the Cuban Government fulfilled its commitments made under the programme and all the activities involving the volunteers were above board.

http://www.radiojamaica.com/content/view/2416/26/

[johnnycakes]

Re: Cuban 'Free' light bulb cost Ja Millions?

So whom did Comrade Maximum Leader Fidel Castor send to Jamaica...the Boy Touts?

You seem to have a problem getting Fidel's name and title correct.
I was just making the point of how clean the transition from incandescent to fluorescent bulbs was accomplished in a socialist country with a national goal and an honest society and to contrast that with the incompetence and thievery that took place in Jamaica where the almighty dollar is the eternal king.

Fidel made a big mistake in thinking that the socialist spirit could be transplanted to Jamaica along with the shipment of bulbs.

The Jamaican taxpayers will both incur the cost of the thievery and benefit from lower electric bills so perhaps it is all a wash.

[evanovitch]

Light bulb questions heat up Jamaica

Light bulb questions heat up Jamaica



An energy saving campaign instituted by Cuba and replicated in other Caribbean countries is causing a lot of political heat in Jamaica.
Cuba came up with the programme to increase usage of energy-efficient light bulbs in a bid to bring electricity consumption under control on the island.

It then began giving away the fluorescent bulbs last year to Caribbean neighbours, including Jamaica, which was supposed to receive four million of them.

Now the new Jamaica Labour Party administration has ordered a full investigation into alleged irregularities in the operation of the programme under the former Peoples National Party government.

Energy Minister Clive Mullings first outlined the government's concerns about the programme in In a statement to the Jamaica parliament.

Chief among them is why a project for the free distribution of bulbs resulted in the previous government paying out more than J$114 million.


He also revealed that a company named as Universal Management and Development Company was paid more than J$85m for the implementation of the project.


That company, according to the minister, was incorporated at the same time as the distribution of the bulbs commenced.

It was also stated that several members of parliament were allocated funds to meet costs associated with the project.

The government stood the costs of clearance, storage and delivery of bulbs as well the transportation costs of Cuban advisers.

Mr Mullings has promised to turn over all the information the government has unearthed to the office of the Auditor General, the national financial watchdog, for investigation.

The Opposition Leader and former Prime Minister, Portia Simpson Miller has already summoned former Energy Minister Phillip Paulwell and aides to to discuss the controversy, which has caused alarm in PNP ranks.

Both have been ordered to submit a report to Mrs. Simpson Miller by 29 October.